Brake rigging



w. A. GANTNl-:R

BRAKE RIGGING Sept. 23, 1947.

4Filed May 18, 1945 His' ATTORNEY Patented sept. 23, 1947 BRAKE REGGINGWilliam A. Gantner, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignor to The American BrakeCompany, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Missouri Application May 18,1945, Serial No. 594,542

(Cl. 18S-4G) 6 Claims.

My invention relates to brake rigging for railway rolling stock, andparticularly to brake rigging for use on a six-wheel motor truck for aDiesel electric locomotive.

One object of my invention is to provide a brake rigging of the typedescribed which can be conveniently mounted on the motor truck withinthe limited space available.

According to my invention, I provide each wheel with a single brakeshoe, and I employ two brake cylinders one for actuating the shoesassociated with the three wheels on one side of the truck, and the otherfor actuating the shoes associated with the wheels on the other side ofthe truck. The piston rod of each brake cylinder is pivotally connectedat one end to the upper end of a brake cylinder lever which is securedat its lower end to a crank pivotally mounted on the truck frame, andeach crank is connected through a ypush connector with a first floatingequalizer lever intermediateits ends. The said first oating equalizerlever is slidably supported adjacent its outer end and is operativelyconnected at its inner end with a brake shoe for the associated wheel.The outer end of said first floating equalizer lever is operativelyconnectedv by means of a pull rod with one end of an ntermediate beamwhich extends transversely of the truck between the front and middlepair of wheels, and said intermediate beam, in turn, is operativelyconnected by means of a strap link with the outer end of a secondfloating equalizer lever the inner end of which is operatively connectedwith a brake shoe associated with the one front wheel of the truck. Saidsecond iioating equalizer lever is operatively connected intermediateits ends by means of a push connector with a third lever associated withthe one middle wheel of the truck. Said third lever is pivotallyattached at its outer end to the truck frame and is operativelyconnected at its inner end with a brake shoe for said one middle wheelof the truck.

Other objects and characteristic features of my invention will becomeapparent as the description proceeds.

I shall describe one form of brake rigging embodying my invention, andshall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of aDiesel electric locomotive truck provided with one form of brake riggingembodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are top plan, and left-hand endviews, respectively, of that portion of the brake rigging embodying myinvention which is applied to one-half of the truck, it being understoodthat the portion which is applied to the other half of the truck isiden--A` tical with the portion shown.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in all three views.p

Referring to the drawings, the reference characters I, 2 and 3 designaterespectively the front, middle and rear wheels at one side of asix-wheel motor truck for a Diesel electric locomotive. Only one-half ofthe truck is shown because the other half is identical to the half whichis shown, and it should be pointed out at the outset that in thedescription which follows the half of the truck which is not shown isprovided with symmetrical brake rigging which is a duplicate of thatwhich I shall now describe,

The brake rigging as shown comprises a hanger lever 5 disposed at therear side of the front wheel I, a hanger lever 6 disposed at the forwardside of the middle wheel 2, and a hanger lever 1 disposed at the forwardside of the rear wheel 3. lThe hanger levers are pivotally attached attheir upper ends to the truck frame by means of pivot pins 8, and eachhanger lever is provided at its lower end with spaced jaws 9 which forma recess I0. A brake head II is pivotally attached to each hanger leverintermediate its ends, and each brake head carries a brake shoe I2 forengagement with the tread of the associated wheel.

A transversely extending horizontally disposed floating equalizer leverI6 is slidably supported adjacent its outer end by means of a suitablesupporting bracket Il secured to the truck frame, and is secured at itsinner end within the recess l@ in the hanger lever 'l by means of apivot pin Ill which extends through registered openings formed in theequalizer lever and in the jaws 9 of thehanger lever. The equalizerlever I6 is operatively connected intermediate. its ends by means of anadjustable push connector I8 Awith the depending arm of a crank 20'which, as best seen in Fig. 3, is pivotally supported in a bearing 23provided on the side of the truck frame. A vertically disposed brakecylinder lever I9 is ksecured to the crank 2l] on the opposite side ofthe bearing 23 from the depending arm, and is operatively connected atits upper end with the push rod ZI of a brake cylinder C. The brakecylinder C is conveniently mounted on a vertically disposed supportingmember 22 provided on the side of the truck frame in front of the rearwheel 3. The brake cylinder is of the usual typev and includes the usualcylinder portion (not shown) return spring (not shown) and push rod 2loperated by the piston.

The outer end of the floating equalizer lever I6 is operativelyconnected rby means of a pull rod 25 with the outer end of anintermediate beam 26 which extends transversely of the truck between thefront wheels I and middle wheels 2 of the truck. The intermediate beam26, in turn, is operatively connected adjacent its outer end with oneend of a strap link 21 the other end of which is slidably supported bymeans of a supl porting ybracket 28 secured to the truck frame.Intermediate its ends the strap link 21 is pivotally connected to theouter end of av second transversely extending horizontally' disposedfloating equalizer lever 29 the inner end of which is operativelyconnected with the lower end of the hanger lever in the same manner thatthe inner end of the floating equalizer lever i6 is'opera. tivelyconnected with the lower end of the hanger lever 1. The -iloatirigYequalizer lever 29 is operatively connected intermediate its ends bymeans of an adjustable push` connector 30 with a dead lever 3lintermediate its ends. YThe dead `lever 3i is pivotally supported at itsouter end in a supporting bracket 32 suspended from Vthe truck frame,and is operatively connected at its,r inner end with the lower end cithe hanger lever 6.

In operation when uid pressure. is supplied to. the brake cylinder()`the push rod 2l is forced outwardly in the cylinder, andy this outwardmovement of the push rod acts through the brake cylinder lever i9, crank2li,Y and push connection i8 to move the-floating equalizer lever i6toward the left as viewed'in Fig This movement of the equalizerlever iBwill rst cause this lever to pivot about its point of connection withthe pull rod 25 and movethehanger lever 1 toward the wheel-v untilthebrake shoe l2 moves into frictional contact with thewheelywhereupon thecontinued movement of/the equalizer lever by the push connection willthen cause this lever to fulcrum about its yinner end and thus move thepull rod 25, intermediate beam 26, and strap link 2T toward the left.VVAs thevstrap link 21 moves toward the 1eft the equalizer lever 29 willrst pivot about its point of coi'me'ctionl with the push connector 30 tothereby move the brake shoe |72 carried by the hangerrlever 5 intofric-tional engagement with the wheel i, whereupon the equalizer lever29 will then swing about its point of connection with the hanger lever 5and thus move the push connector 30 toward the left. This lattermovement, in turn, will cause the lever 3l to swing in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, and thus move the brakeshoe l2 carried by the hanger lever 6 into frictional engagement withthe middle wheel 2. The parts are so proportioned that when all of the`brake shoes have moved into frictional engagement with the associatedwheel, the braking forces exerted by the shoes on the associated wheelswill be substantially equal;

To release the brakes the uid which was supplied to the brake cylinder Cto apply the brakes is vented from the brake cylinder in the usualmanner, whereupon the force due to the release spring disposed withinthe brake cylinder together with the force of gravity acting on thehanger levers will act to move the hanger levers, and hence the brakeshoes to their released positions.

It should be particularly noted that with the brake rigging constructedin the manner described all parts of the brake rigging with theexception of the hanger levers and the intermediate beam 26 are disposedoutboard of the wheels where they will not interfere with any part ofthe driving mechanism for the wheels. This driving mechanism is notshown, but it will be understood that this driving mechanism comprisesan integral part of the motor truck.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of brakerigging embodying my invention, it is understood that various changesyand modications may be made therein within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A brake rigging for a six-wheel truck comprising at each side of thetruck a brake cylinder secured to the truck frame, a brake cylinderlever pivotally attached to the truck frame and operatively connected atitsupper end with said brake cylinder, a transversely extendingoatingequalizer lever operatively connected intermediate its ends bymeans including a push connector with the lower end oi said brakecylinder lever, means for applying a brake to the one rear wheel of thetruck connected with the inner end of said equalizer lever, a pull rodconnectedat one end to the outer end of said equalizer lever, anintermediate beam extending transversely of the truck between the frontand middle wheel of the truck and connected at one end directly to theother endof said pull rod, and means for applying brakes to said frontand middle Wheel of the truck operatively connected with saidintermediate beam.

2. A brake rigging for a six-Wheel' truck comprising at each side of thetruck a brake cylinder secured to the truck frame, a brake cylinderlever secured at its lower end to a crank pivotally at. tached to thetruck frame and operatively connected at its upper end with said brakecylinder,y a transversely extending floating equalizer` lever connectedintermediate its ends by means of a push connector with said crank,-means for slidably supporting said equalizer lever adjacent its outerend, means for applying a brake to the one rear wheel of the truckconnected with the inner end of said equalizer lever, a pull rodconnected at one end to the outer end of said equalizer leven, anintermediate beam extending transversely of the truck between the frontand middle wheel of the truck and connected at one end directly to theother end of said pull rod, and means for applying brakes to said frontand middle wheel of the truck operatively connected with saidintermediate beam.

3. A brake rigging for a six-wheel truck comprising at each side of thetruck a brake cylinder secured to the truck frame, a brake cylinderlever secured at its lower end to a crank pivotally attached to thetruck frame and operatively connected at its upper end with said lbrakecylinder, a rst transversely extending floating equalizer leveroperatively connected intermediate its ends by means of a push connectorwith said crank, means for applying a brake to the one rear wheel of thetruck connected with the inner end ofr said equalizer lever, a pull rodconnected at one end to the outer end of said equalizer lever, anintermediate beam extending transversely of the truck between the frontand middle wheel of the truck and connected atone end to the other endof said pull rod, a strap link slidably supported at one end andoperatively connected at the other end with said intermediate beam, asecond transversely extending'oating equalizer lever operativelyYconnected at its outer end with said strap link and i operativelyconnected at its inner end with brake applying means for the o-ne frontwheel of the truck, a second push connector connected at one end withsaid second equalizer lever intermediate its ends, and brake applyingmeans for the middle wheel of the truck connected with the other end ofsaid second push connector.

4. A brake rigging for a six-wheel truck comprising at each side of thetruck a brake cylinder secured to the truck frame, a brake cylinderlever secured at its lower end to a crank pivotally attached to thetruck frame and operatively connected at its upper end with said brakecylinder, a first transversely extending oating equalizer leverconnected intermediate its ends by means of a push connector with saidcrank, means for applying a brake to the one rear wheel of the truckconnected with the inner end of said equalizer lever, a pull rodconnected at one end to the outer end of said equalizer lever, anintermediate beam extending transversely of the truck between the frontand middle wheel of the truck and connected at one end to the other endof said pull rod, a strap link slidably supported at one end andoperatively connected at the other end with said intermediate beam, asecond transversely extending floating equalizer lever operativelyconnected at its outer end with said strap link and operativelyconnected at its inner end with brake applying means for the one frontwheel of the truck, a second push connector connected at one end withsaid second equalizer lever intermediate its ends, a third transverselyeX- tending lever pivotally attached at its outer end to the truck frameand operatively connected intermediate its ends with the other end ofsaid second push connector and at its inner end with brake applyingmeans for the middle wheel of the truck.

5. Brake rigging for a six-wheel truck comprising a rst horizontallydisposed transversely extending equalizer lever located at the rear sideof one front wheel of the truck, a second horizontally disposedequalizer lever disposed at the forward side of the rear wheel of thetruck on the same side of the truck as said rst equalizer lever, a thirdhorizontally disposed lever located `at the forward side of the middlewheel of the truck on the same side of the truck as said equalizerlever, a brake element for each wheel connected with the inner end ofthe associated lever, a push connector connecting said first and thirdlevers intermediate their ends, an intermediate brake beam extendingtransversely of the truck between said first and third levers, meansconnecting the outer end of said beam with the outer end of said secondequalizer lever, means connecting said brake beam with the outer end ofsaid first equalizer lever, and power means connected with said secondequalizer lever intermediate its ends.

6. Brake rigging for a six-wheel locomotive truck comprising ahorizontally extending lever associated with each wheel on one side ofthe truck and operatively connected at its inner end with a brakeelement for the associated wheel, power means connected with the leverfor the rear wheel of the truck intermediate its ends, means including apull rod, an intermediate beam and a strap link for operativelyconnecting the outer end of the lever for said third wheel with theouter end of the lever for the first wheel, and a push connectionconnecting the levers for the rst and second wheels intermediate theirends.

WILLIAM A. GANTNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,913,625 Grossman June 13, 19'332,093,793 Aurien Sept. 21, 1937

